Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Worlds 2012 - Virtue/Moir & Davis/White FD Comparison

The most exiting moment of the year. When one of them finishes their last movement and salute :) This time I had a clear jurisdictiın thet Virtue & Moir was going to get this one either. No matter how little difference there is in terms of the quality of the skating skills and performance between the two teams there are some weak points an strong points in every of them and there are mistakes in executing and perfection. I always think that luck, is a very big factor t when it comes to teams like this you can't determine which one of them is actually better. Because Davis & White's luck might've gone better and V&M's might've encountered some misfortunate events. You can never know. On any given day one can be simply better than the other. But there is one thing that is very clear; Davis &White started the season unbeliavably strong and Virtue&Moir were mediore and disapointed us then, something happened to them, instead of improving and closing to perfection D&W started going down, inability of making some of the movements impeccably has occured. On the other hand, you could feel the desire and ambition in V&M's eyes, they were editing the whole program from beginning moves to the end everytime we see
them to catch up the
Meryl Davis and Charlie White of the U.S. perform during their Ice Dance Free Dance at the ISU 2012 World Figure Skating Championships in Nice, southern France, Thursday, March 29, 2012.
perfection. They were enthuisiasted about every single step they made and working so hard. This program was ceased to be boring. I've felt the exact same amazing vibe watching them when I was feeling for D&W in the beginning of the season. Coming to worlds performances, I've felt especially Meryl had been demoralized since V&M were ahead after the SD. When she's in such a mood like this, it always reflects her performance in a negative way because she's not concentrated well, not looking enthusiasted as always and very nervous.

V&M have began the program with glory and enthusiasm. And they opened the program with a diagonal step sequence which is the only primary difference between them and D&W causing their total base value point to be higher. If D&W would've executed a "level 4" diagonal step seq.  the only difference between the element scores would be 0,3. The reason behind this is;
1) V&M were performing tightly connected, D&W were performing it a bit apart from each other
2) V&M were looking effortless as always and D&W's effort was visible
3) V&M made deeper edges, D&W were not looking secured in turns

Canadian ice dancers Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir perform during their ice dance free program at the 2012 World Figure skating Championships in Nice, southern France, Thursday, March 29, 2012.Attaining a level 4 requires absolute presicion by both skaters and D&W only earned a level 3.
In their Curve lifts, V&M earned higher points again. In my opinion V&M executed the lift impeccably but D&W's is more difficult. So both teams should've earned the same points. In their spins, D&W earned slightly higher points which I agree, their spin contains 3 different parts ( +1 apart from V&M) and they were a bit faster. So it was expected for them. No suprise D&W got this either, it was in the bag.Twizzles... what a shame Scott lost his balance for a moment, but he recovered it quickly. This costed V&M a slightly lower points. We all can see without a doubt that D&W are the best in the twizzles so they earned it, big time. In their circular footwork sequences both teams were scored in level 3 which was fair and they both got the exact GOE's. Both bend in the waist a bit evident and blades were not completely secured perfectly so I couldn't see any difference between the teams. Coming to Rotational lifts, D&W's first rotational lift compared to V&M's was scored higher. Yes, that lift is sensational and yes that lift is heavenly and yes they executed it flowingly & perfectly but V&M's has no difference in terms of difficulty and performance. Their lift was tremendously done either. In my opinion V&M' were just a little bit better because no matter how D&W's lift is looking faboulous and glamorous, this doesn't make it more difficult than V&M's. Because the speed in the transition of V&M's is absolutely unbelievable.
Canada's Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir perform in the Ice Dance Free program during the 2012 World Figure Skating Championships on March 29, 2012 in Nice, southeastern France. Olympic champions Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir of Canada  win the second world ice dancing title.Comparing D&W's second rotational lift + Straight line lift with V&M's combination lift of the two. V&M's straight line lift part was without a doubt spectacular in terms of both difficulty and execution. Comparing it to D&W is pointless because I believe their straight line lift was their weakest element this season. But V&M's rotational part was looking a bit rushed and incomplete comparing to D&W's rotational lift because their lift is more speedy and expeditious.

Last but not least the program components. I want this to be quick and painless. Skating Skills; equal, Linking footwork; V&M, Performance; D&W, Choreography; equal, Timing; V&M.

NICE, FRANCE - MARCH 29:  Meryl Davis and Charlie White of USA perform during day four of the ISU World Figure Skating Championships on March 29, 2012 in Nice, France.I believe %90 of you agrees with me. Overall V&M displayed a slightly better performance. Part was because if D&W can't catch up the perfection in their transitions, turns and twists their performance looks a bit rushed and hectic. So they may try to keep it a bit slower and cool the next year.

Congratulations again to Tessa & Scott they did their best and Won. Can't wait to see next year.
Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir of Canada react after they won the Champion title of Ice Dance at the ISU 2012 World Figure Skating Championships in Nice, southern France, Thursday, March 29, 2012.Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir of Canada, wearing their medal of champion, center, pose with second place Meryl Davis and Charlie White of the U.S. , left and third place, Nathalie Pechalat and Fabian Bourzat of France, right on the podium of the Ice Dance at the ISU 2012 World Figure Skating Championships in Nice, southern France, Thursday, March 29, 2012.
Canada's Scott Moir and Tessa Virtue pose on the podium after they won the world gold medal at the 2012 World Figure Skating Championships on March 29, 2012 in Nice, southeastern France. Olympic champions Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir of Canada took their second world gold ahead of reigning champions Meryl Davis and Charlie White of the United States after the free dance final. France's Nathalie Pechalat and Fabian Bourzat won bronze.NICE, FRANCE - MARCH 29:  Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir of Canada receive their gold medals during day four of the ISU World Figure Skating Championships on March 29, 2012 in Nice, France.

Sunday, April 1, 2012

Worlds 2012 - Virtue/Moir & Davis/White SD Comparison

This is the hardest comparison I've ever written about the two teams. They were both so close, only minor unsynchronizations, stumbles, artistical little movements and usage of extremities differ. Thats it.

Canadian ice dancers Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir perform during their ice dance short program at the 2012 World Figure skating Championships in Nice, southern France, Wednesday, March 28, 2012.When Teesa & Scott finished their sd program the moment of obscurity appeared again. Which of them were better? I couldn't think of anything except for the rhumba pattern at that time because they were not performing one after another, there were teams between them which was making it ever harder.
Davis & White opened it with speed, the tempo and great transitions and Virtue & Moir's opening is not that strong but artistically it is more sensual and tithe and they get straight into the rhumba pattern which was a bit better than Davis & White's. Here is why;
1)  V&M got into the sequence with much speed and control
2) V&M were making deeper edges
but the rest was the same. Synchronization was amazing for D&W either and they executed the steps with harmony. About the twizzles. It is so hard to compare because both Charlie and Tessa stumbled, lost balance for just a moment and other than that, D&W were faster as usual and V&M did one more part +1 as usual. So in my opinion there is nothing to differ them from each other but apparently one judge thought V&M were better so their element GOE was higher. In the second
US ice dancers Meryl Davis and Charlie White perform during their ice dance short program at the 2012 World Figure skating Championships in Nice, southern France, Wednesday, March 28, 2012.part of the rhumba pattern D&W got
 into the sequence as fast as V&M and made deeper edges than their first sequence but even though V&M were a bit more better. In the free dancing parts V&M's was a rhumba and movements&transitions were slower and in some parts they were dancing really apart from each other but they were much in control of them, while D&W were faster but Meryl lacks elegance and a great stance sometimes her movements look so hectic and hurried. Tessa has that "it" makes all of the movements look so simple when actually isn't. In the step sequence D&W were more synchronic and well executed. Tessa stumbled and lost her sync with Scott two times, she
Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir of Canada perform during the ice dance short dance at the ISU World Figure Skating Championships in Nice March 28, 2012.recovered it quickly but D&W were much better. In the lifts I understand why most of the judges gave V&M higher scores but there was a minor difference, V&M's was more difficult but D&W executed so well and their lift is so difficult either. Here comes the tricky part; They have to mark 2 or 3 nothing between so, when they think if the one is better they automatically should give 3 and that leads to a great gap between the teams. There should be at least half scores that they can give out so the gap wouldn't be this much bigger. In my opinion Tessa & Scott were a bit better but I think they should've been seperated with a 0.2 or 0.1 in the element scores. Both of the teams did a fantastic job as always and Tessa & Scott won fair.

free dance review will be coming shortly after..



Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir of Canada perform during the ice dance short dance at the ISU World Figure Skating Championships in Nice March 28, 2012.
US ice dancers Meryl Davis and Charlie White perform during their ice dance short program at the 2012 World Figure skating Championships in Nice, southern France, Wednesday, March 28, 2012.US ice dancers Meryl Davis and Charlie White perform during their ice dance short program at the 2012 World Figure skating Championships in Nice, southern France, Wednesday, March 28, 2012.

Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir of Canada perform during the ice dance short dance at the ISU World Figure Skating Championships in Nice March 28, 2012.